Excavator and loader



March 26, 1929. K. BESTELAND 1,706,689

I EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filed June 28 1926 6-Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVNTUIZ March. 26, 1929.

K. BESTELLAND EXCAVATOR AND LOADER' s Sheets-Sheet Filed June 28, 1926 Patented Mar. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT QOFFICE.

KNUT BESTELAND, 01' SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA;

nxcavnron. am) LOADEB.

Application filed June as,

This invention relates to an improved excavating and loading machine which is so constructed and arranged that it may be operated with greater ease, accuracy and economy .5 than has been possible with excavating and loading machines such as heretofore constructed.

One of the purposes of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described .10 which will be eirceptionally mobile and which will have a lower center of gravity-than machines such as are now commonly used.

Another purpose ofthe invention is to provide an excavating and loading-machine" of .5 the character described which may be used which will be comparatively simple as to con-- struction, strong and durable and which will have a greater capacity'in proportion t'olts size and weight than other machines of th s 2 nature of which I am aware, said machine of this invention being arranged so'that it will operate smoothly with less'wear and'stram on the mechanisms thereof than is the case in the ordinary excavating and loading machines. I v s v With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consistsm the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated'in-the ac companyingdrawin and set forth in th' claims hereto appen ed, it beingunderstood' that various changesin the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction with the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacri-V ficing any of the advantagesof the invention. Referring to the drawings: p Fig. 1 represents-a side elevation of'the excavator-and loader; of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine. I Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary end eleva- 'tion of the vehicular part-of the'machine.

Fig. 5 represents a sectional'view of one of the friction clutches. y

The embodiment of the excavatin and I loading machine: shown in: detail in e ac- 1926. Serial No. 118,886.

companying drawings generally cdmprises a Itracklaying type of motor vehicle 1, which serves as a base or support, a comparatively short endless bucket type. elevator 2, supported in an upwardly inclined position on'said vehicle and driven by the motor 3 thereof, a digging and elevator loading device 4, an

endless -loading conveyor 5 which receives the bucket loads and is adapted todischarge said loads into trucks, ears or like vehicles, an especially constructed frame 6 which serves as a common support for the elevator, the

conveyor and the digger and loader, and is I adjustable to suit variousf'ccnditions of excavatmg and loadingjobs, and a power driven means 7 for adjusting said frame.

These;'seven elementsv of the machine together withtheir associated elements which compactnessa simplicity and reliability in a machine which is easier to'operate, has more capacity for weightalid size, and costs less to operate and maintain in working order .than excavating and loading machinessu'ch as heretofore constructed.

Vefiicular support.-

will be"hereinafter-mo re fully described are fconstructedand assembled to rovide for The tracklaying motor vehicle 1 is made; up of a suitable frame 8 on which is mount- I ed in the usual manner any suitable type of.

track laying driving devices 9 and 10. Separate drive devices 11 and 12includin'g-friction clutches l3 and 14 are operatively connected with a main drive shaft 15 and with said track laying devices. driven by a chain and sprocket drive con- This shaft is '90 nection 16 from a suitable compound speed a ;.changing transmission. .Means 1'1 and engine clutch '17 operatively associated in the usual manner with the motor 3 which latter is'preferably of the internal combustion type. Control levers 18 and 19 provide for operatiori of the compoundtransmission and engine clutch. Similar controls 20 and 21 are associated with the friction clutches 13 and it 14. All control levers are accessible from the operatorsplatform 22 extending-from one side of-the vehicle frame. By the drive arrangement, the track laying devices are subject to operation so as to move the entire. machlneas desired in various directions neces sary to carry out a continuous eperationof the machine. The maimdriv'e shaft is also subject to easy and minute control asto its speed and driving power through the transmission mechanism.

- comprising a part of the adjusta le main Endless .buclcet elevator.

frame. The frame pieces 29 are joined to similar frame pieces 30 of the frame 6 disposed below' said pieces 29, by connecting plates 31. The frame 6 in its entiretyis adustably supported by arms 32 pivoted oil-the shaft 27 and which extend outward .and upward from on'e end of the vehicle frame 8 at f 8 d "l 35 nth'ru er mme carry curve me is 61 pp fendless belt 52 fixed upon sprocket chains 53,

II sprocket dirt, aided in this aotionby the teeth thereon.

which point they are pivoted as at 33. Upright stationary frames 34 on the vehicle ends; Pinions 36 on the upper portions 0 the frame pieces 29 ride on the rack and in' this way the frame 6 is adjustably supported.

Suitable buckets 37 are pivoted on the chains of the elevator in the usual manner. Sets of. teeth: 38 are removably secured to the digging or loading edges of the buckets. The buckets in being moved up and around the sprockets 25 dig orscoop up the As they begin their upward travel after being loaded, they assume a proper carrying position which is maintained until the upper end ofthe elevator is reached. At this point the buckets will drop their loads onto the endless conveyor 5 as they turn downward around the sprockets 26 at the beginning of their downward travel; P The endless elevator is driven from a sprocket wheel 39 fixed upon the shaft 15 and operating a chain 40 which extends upward and around a sprocket 41 drives the elevator 2.-

fixed to the outer end of a shaft 28 which Bucket loading and digging mechanism;

The bucket loading. and digging mechanism 4 is carried on the shaft on opposite sides ofthe elevator. The length of this shaft is such'that said means 4 may be arranged so as to cut into a bank of dirt to be removed sufliciently to enable the machine to move into the cut. This means 4 comprises helical blades 46 and 47 secured by arms 48 and 49 on the extended portions of the shaft 27 and disposed on opposite sides of the lower end of the elevator. On these blades at suitably spaced points are a plurality of sets of teeth 50 which aid in the dig ing andjloading operation. The pitch of t ese horizontal blades is such as to cause the dirt or earth to be loosened or excavated and to be forced inwardly to a elevator. In other words, these blades not only dig into the ground or dirt, for example,

into the side of a bank to be removed, but also force the earth or dirt into a position so that deflecting plates 51 extending across the endless conveyor'5 are arranged to direct the dirt 51 serves to break the force of the falling conveyor. The conveyor comprises a suitable which latter are mounted on pairs of sprocket it 'will fall into and load the buckets asthe forwardly onto said conveyor. This member 1 Wheels 54 mounted on shafts 56 and 57, which shafts are secured to the lower and upper portions respectively, of the frame pieces 30.

Extending transversely of the belt are risers or cleats 58 which support thedirt in the upward travel thereof to the outer end of the conveyor. Along the upper run of the conveyor are guard boards 59 to prevent dirt from falling ofi the sides of the conveyor. In this connection it will be noted that the elevator 2 is provided with similar guard boards 60 extending along opposite sides of the upper run thereof. The elevator is of suflicient length and outward and upward extension to provide for the movement of-theouter end thereofinto a position whereby the dirt or load on the conveyor may be'properly delivered into a truck, car, dump cart, or'in fact into the desired place. trucks having a capacity of from one to five cubic yards are usually employed to carry away the excavated dirt. The conve'yorof this machine is so arranged that the machine may be readily moved totdump the dirt olf theconveyor into the front of a five yard capacity truck body, Whereas with excavating and loading machincs such asheretofore used,

Ordinary motor it has not been possible to dump the load into the forward end of a large capacity truck and has necessitated theshovcling of the load from the rear end o'f the truck to other parts thereof. This conveyor is driven from the shaft 28 on whichis mounted a sprocket 6laround whichthe-sproeket chain 62 is extended. This chain extends over asimilar sprocket 63 on the shaft '57.. Thus, when the shaft 28 is driven in order to operate the elevat-or 2, the conveyor 5 is likewise operated. To brace the str'ucture, supporting bars 64 are fastened to the upper structure of the elevator 2 vand extend downwardly and rearwardly to intermediate points on the frame pieces for the conveyor 5.

Adjustable supporting frame for the elevator and co'noeyor.

The adj ustable supporting frame 6 principally comprises as previously stated, frame pieces 29 and frame pieces 30 joined by the members 31 and 64. This mainframe is-so constructed that it is comparatively long but does not'extend upwardly sufliciently to make the entire machine in anyway top heavy. The principal objection to machinery of this type such as heretofore .used has been the too great upward extension thereof with a result that the ma-.

chinesbecome top heavy. In addition to this objection, a long bucket elevator must have a greaternumber of buckets than a short one.

making for reliability of operation without I loss of and witha gain in efficiency. The con- 'veyor having considerable of an outward extension provides for an easier loading of trucks, cars or the like.

Bar operated frame adjusting means.

The adjusting means i for the frame 6 includes the pinions 36 which are mounted on a shaft ,65 extending across the under side of and journaled on the frame pieces 29. On this shaft is a sprocket 66 around which a sprocket chain 67 is extended, said chain being alsoextended around a similar sprocket 68, loosely mounted on the shaft28 A friction clutch 69 of any suitable type, preferably of the same type'as the clutches 13 and 14, is associated with the shaft 28 and with the sprocket wheel 68 so that said sprocket wheel may be caused to rotate with the shaft or the shaft permit-' .ted to rotate relative to the sprocket wheel.

This clutch 69 is controlled by levers 70 and 71, the latter lever being disposed adjacent the levers 20 and 21 so that it may be conveniently operated from the platform 22. On operating the clutch to cause the sprocket 68 to rotate with the shaft 28, the chain 67 drives the shaft and turns the pinions 36 which are engaged with the racks 35. This causes the entire frame 6 to move and assuming that the frame moves forward, the forward end of the elevator will be lowered and the upper end of the conveyor lifted. By reversing the direction of the rotation of the shaft 15 as may be accomplished by properly manipulating the compound transmission 1:7, the frame 6 may be moved in the opposite direction. The rack and pinion arrangement act as alock to maintain the justed.

The type of friction clutch used throughout this machine is illustrated in Fig. 5. The

clutch shown in thisfigure is the one mounted on the shaft 28 but the clutches 13 and 14 are constructed identically with this clutch.

Fixed on the sprocket 68 is a clutch drum 72, Surrounding which drum is a contractible band 7 3. Thisband is contracted by means of levers 74 pivoted on a-member 7 5 which is splined on' the shaft 28. Acam member 7 6 slidable' on the shaft 28operates against the ends of the lever 74 so as to cause contraction and expansion of the band 73. The lever 70. is connected with and operates the cam 76. However, I wish it understood that I may use any type of friction clutch that is suitable for use in this machine.

Operation.

With the motor 3 in operation the driver or operator on manipulating the control lethisshaft through the sprocket 39, chain 40 "and sprocket 41 rotates the shaft 28 on which the sprockets 26 for the elevator chains 23 are mounted, thereby putting into operation the 'elevator and also operating the conveyor 5 which is drivenby the shaft 28, the chain 62 .and its associated sprockets. The position of the lower end pf the elevator and likewise the position of thedigger and loader mechanism 4 may be changed to suit the conditions athand as determined by the lay of the ground or the material to be excavated and removed. This adjustment of the elevator may be effected through the power driven adj usting means including the pinions 36,'shafts 65, racks 35 and clutch 69, which latter locks the sprocket 68 with the shaft 28 and drives the chain 67 on the sprocket 66. This rotates the shaft 65 and the pinions 36 whereby the entire frame '61 is moved as previously described. a

The excavator and loader 4'being mounted onthe shaft 27 of the loader,=operates simultan'eously with the operation of the elevator. The spiral blades 46"are so arranged and pitched that they will cause an excavating or diggingnction and the dirt or material thus 7 The buckets themselves assist in the digging and excavating operation, .both the buckets and the horizontal bladesbeing assisted by plate 51 whichbreaks the force of the falling dirt. The risers or cleats 58'on the conveyor belt 52 carry the dirt to the outer end of the conveyor, the dirt being held on the conveyor I by the guard plates 59. The dirt drops on the outer end of the conveyor beneath which a:

truck or car is disposed in order thatthe'd'irt may behauled away. By manipulating the vehicular support, the outer end of the 0011- I veyor may be positioned to properly scatter or load the dirt into a truck, whether the truck be of large or of small capa city.- A

' further adjustment facilitating the proper loading may be made by the power driven adjusti'ng means 7 fonthe main frame 6 on which the conveyor 5 is mounted-:2. I

. The comparatively short elevator and the in accordance with-this invention provide many advantages and overcome ob ections such as heretofore constructed, for example, twenty buckets may be f' 'elin'i'i'nated. The shortening of-the elevator, together with the elimination of the extra buckets, etc. and the ness which is an objectionin excavating and loading machines/ It also eliminatesthe use.

/ of long bucket chains and thereby prevents jerking and uneven operations due to slackin conditions in which the ordinary excavating and loading machine will not operate. This provision for operation in such'hard materials'is also made possible by the transmission mechanism which provides for proper controlling of the power applied to the ma rhinery. An advantage ofthe machine is that the conveyor extends outwardly from the body of thcmachine in siieh manner that the front end of a twelve foot, five yard, truck may be asily loaded, whereas with machines i such heretofore used it has been necessary to shovel the material from the rear endto the front parts of the truck body. v To facilitate the dumping of theimaterial 'ordirt being handled from theupper end of the conveyor 5, there is provided-an adjustablespout .70 having adjusting means 71, a part of which is shown. This spout may be I claim which are 'prese'ntin excavators and loaders extra weight does away with the top heavi the long chain's. By using less buckets the turned to direct the dirt a s'dcsired into the wagon, truck or other vehicle into which the dirt is to discharge. I l I Rearward of the forward end of the elevator'2 is a scraper plate 7 2 which is slightly longer than the width of the vehicle and is adapted'to engage the ground along its lower edge. This plate pushes .the dirt ahead of it a s'the apparatus is ad'vancedand thereby provides a smooth track for the vehicle to 75 operate upon. I a

I. An excavating and loading machine comprising a vehicular support, a subStan-' tially upright frame-on said support, another 30 frame mounted in upwardlyandarearwa'rdly" inclined position, dreams for adjust-ably connecting the first and secondnamed frames, and providing for bodily adjustment of the second named frame relative to the first s5 named frame, dirt excavating means upon the lower end of the second named frame, an endless elevator mounted on -and entirely supported by said second named'frame and .gco'operating with the excavating means and 9o an endless conveyor mounted on the second conveyor arranged om t-he adjustable frame.

named framelwith the upper run thereof disposed beneath the upper-end of the said ele- J vator. v

2. An excavating and loading machine comprising a vehicular support an upwardly and rearwardly inclined franie bodily adj, justably mounted upon the support, excavat- 'ing'means mounted on thelower end of said frame, "an elevator mounted on said frame and operatively assoc1ated with the'excavating means, an endless conveyor mounted on said frame with the upper run thereof dis posed beneath the npper end of the elevator,

a motor on the vehicular support, means of driving connection 'between the motor, the

excavating means, the-elevator and said conyeyor and means providin foil bodily adusting said frame to chang the inclination thereof and- 'to change thepositiom of the ,excavatmg 'means and conveyor, which means" may operated to so adjust the frame during, and without affecting the operation-of the excavating ineans, the elevator and said conveyor.

3. Anexcavating; and loading machine comprising a vehicular support, an upright frame on said support, an"elongate d upwardly and rearwardly inclined'frame, means pi vdtally connectingthe lower portion of 1530 SLld frame with the forwardportion of the vehicular support, racks mounted on said upr'ght frame, pinions mounted on the second named frame and engaging said racks, means for rotatlng the pinions to change the inclina tion of said second named frame, an end- -less elevator mounted on said second named frame, m'eans at the lower end of 'these'cond named frame for depositing dirt into. the elevator and an endless conveyor mounted on the second named frame with the lower. end of theupper run-disposed beneath the up er end of the elevator and. the upperrend isposed at the upper and outer end of the second named frame. 7 v

4. An; excavating and loading machine comprising avehicular support, an upright frame on said support, an elongated upwardly and rearwardly inclined. frame, means pivotally connecting the lower portion of .said frame with the forward portionof the vehicular support, racks 'mounted on said upright frame,-pinions mounted on the second named frame and engaging said racks, means v clination of said second named frame, an end- .less elevator mounted on said second named the upper run disposed beneath the upper end of the elevator and the upper end disposed at the upper and outer end. of the second named frame, and an adjustable chute onthe upper end of the second named frame and KNUT BES-TELAND. 

